Glossary

Condition

Condition is in the form of P, F, G, VG, VG+, NF, F, AN as described below.

As New (AN)

Describes a book that has been bought new and shows no signs of having been previously owned or read.

Fine (F)

Approaches “As New” condition. For the use of the term, there are no major defects, etc., and if the jacket has any minor defect, or looks worn, this is noted.

Near Fine (NF)

Approaches “As New” condition, but without being crisp. For the use of the term, there are no major defects, etc., and if the jacket has any minor defect, or looks worn, this is noted.

Very Good Plus (VG+)

Describes a book that approaches Near Fine condition but shows some small signs of wear on either binding or paper. Any defects are noted.

Very Good (VG)

Describes a book that does show some signs of wear on either binding or paper but whose contents are excellent. Any defects are noted.

Good (G)

Describes the average used worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects are noted.

Fair (F)

Worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title, etc. Binding, jacket (if any), etc., may also be worn. All defects are noted.

Poor (P)

Describes a book that is sufficiently worn that is only merit is as a Reading Copy because it does have the complete text, which must be legible. Any missing maps or plates are noted. This copy may be soiled, scuffed, stained or spotted and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc.

General Glossary

adverts

Advertisements placed in the binding of the book.

aeg

See All Edges gilt.

al

See Autographed Letter.

All Edges Gilt

The top, for-edge and foot of the book are coloured in gold.

als

See Autographed Letter, Signed.

ams

See Autographed Manuscript, Signed.

Backstrip

The covering of the book’s spine.

bd

Bound

bdg

Binding.

bds

See Boards

Binding Copy

A book which needs to be rebound and is worth rebinding.

Blind-stamping

An impressed mark, decoration, or lettering, not coloured or gilded, usually appearing on the binding.

Boards

The stiff binding material for most modern books.

Book Block

The entire book sewn together before it is bound.

Book Sizes (Pre-War Terminology)

Demy 8vo ... 8⅞” x 5¾”

Post 8vo ... 7⅞” x 5”

Crown 8vo ... 7½” x 5”

Demy 12mo ... 7½” x 4⅜”

Foolscap 8vo ... 6¾” x 4¼”

Demy 18mo ... 5⅞” x 3¾”

Demy 16mo ... 5½” x 4⅜”

Imperial 32mo ... 5½” x 3¾”

Foolscap 12mo ... 5½” x 3”

Royal 32mo ... 5” x 3½”

Demy 32mo ... 4¾” x 2⅞”

Crown 32mo ... 3¾” x 2½”

Book Sizes (General)

4to A book that is up to 12" tall. See Quarto.

8vo A book that is up to 9 ¾" tall. See Octavo.

12mo A book that is up to 7 ¾" tall. See Duodecimo.

16mo A book that is up to 6 ¾" tall. See Sextodecimo

24mo A book that is up to 5 ¾" tall.

32mo A book that is up to 5" tall.

48mo A book that is up to 4" tall.

64mo A book that is up to 3" tall.

Folio A book that is up to 15" tall.

Elephant Folio A book that is up to 23" tall.

Atlas Folio A book that is up to 25" tall.

Double Elephant Folio A Book that is up to 50" tall.

Cancel

A tipped-in (i.e., pasted in) page to replace a page removed after a book has been bound.

Case-Bound

The book is hardbound as opposed to a paperback.

Chipped

Used to describe where small pieces are missing or where fraying has occurred on a dust jacket or the edge of a paperback.

cl

See Cloth.

Cloth

A cloth-bound book. The covering can be linen, buckram or another textile.

Cocked spine.

Refers to a spine which is angled, so that the boards will not line up evenly with each other.

Colophon

An identifying inscription or emblem from the printer or publisher appearing at the end of a book.

Contemporary

Refers to bindings and hand-coloured plates (generally of the period when the book was published) and author inscription (dated the year of publication).

Covers

The binding of the book, most particularly the front and back panels of the book.

Covers bound-in

The original cloth covers, usually including the spine, bound into the book when a new binding is made. Normally they are mounted as pages at the end of the book. Also refers to the covers of books originally issued in boards or paperwraps, but in these cases the covers are usually bound in their proper positions.

Cut

Many modern books are smooth-trimmed after binding so that all edges are even, or flush. This is described as having been "cut".

dec, decor

Decorated. Often referred to a binding, as in dec. cl.

Deckle Edges

Another term for uncut or untrimmed edges.

Dedication Copy

The copy of the book inscribed by the author to the person to whom the book is dedicated.

dj

Dust Jacket.

DuoDecimo (12mo)

A book approximately 7 to 8 inches tall.

ed

See Edition, also “Edited by”.

Edges

The outer surfaces of the leaves of a book.

Edition

All the copies of a book printed from the same plates or typesetting.

8vo

See Octavo.

Elephant Folio

A book about 23 inches tall.

End Papers

The sheets of paper pasted onto the inner covers, joining the book block to the covers. One side of the sheet is pasted to the inside cover, the other is left free.

ep

See End Papers.

Errata

Mistakes or errors. Generally encountered in the term “errata slip”, a small sheet of paper laid into a book by a publisher who has discovered errors prior to publication.

Ex-Lib

Ex-Library.

F

See Condition — Fine.

F, FF, fol

See Folio.

ffep

Front free end-paper : The end-paper that is not attached to the inside front cover. See End Papers.

First and Second Printing before Publication

This indicates the publisher was successful in promoting the book and had more orders before the actual publication date than the first printing quantity would cover, therefore a second printing was ordered. Not a first edition.

First Edition

Generally used by book dealers and collectors to mean the first appearance of a work in book or pamphlet form, in its first printing.

First Separate Edition

The first appearance as a complete book or pamphlet of a work that has previously appeared as part of another book.

First Thus

Means not a first edition, but something is new. It may be revised, have a new introduction by the author or someone else, but the first publication in paperback form, or first by another publisher.

First Trade Edition

The edition produced for general commercial sale, as distinguished from a limited edition.

Flyleaf

A blank leaf, sometimes more than one, following the front free endpaper, or at the end of a book where there is not sufficient text to fill out the last few pages.

Fly title

See Half-title.

Folio

Has several meanings: (1) a leaf numbered on the front; (2) the numeral itself; and (3) a folio-sized book. See Book Sizes.

4to

See Quarto.

Foxed

See Foxing.

Foxing

Brown spotting of the paper caused by a chemical reaction.

Free Endpaper

See End Papers.

Frontis

See Frontispiece.

Frontispiece

An illustration at the beginning of a book, usually facing the title page.

Front Matter

The pages preceding the text of a book, in the following order:

bastard title or fly title

frontispiece

title page

copyright page

dedication

preface or forward

table of contents

list of illustrations

introduction

acknowledgements

half title

G

See Condition - Good.

ge

See Gilt Edges.

Gilt Edges

The page edges have been trimmed smooth and gilt, or gold, has been applied. The abbreviation ge means gilt edges; aeg means all edges gilt; gt means gilt top; teg. means top edge gilt.

Glassine

A transparent paper dustwrapper.

gt

See Gilt Edges

Half Cloth

Paper-cover boards with he spine bound in cloth.

Half Leather

A term indicating that the spine and the corners of a book are bound in leather, while the rest of the binding may be cloth or paper. Also see Quarter Leather.

Half Title

The page carrying nothing but the title of the book, usually preceding the title page.

Headband

A decorative cloth band, sometimes coloured or multicoloured, appearing inside the backstrip at the top (and sometimes bottom) of the spine of a book.

Hinge

The joint (either outer or inner) of the binding of a book - the part that bends when the book is opened.

Holograph

A term indicating the handwriting of the author.

Ill, Ills, Illus.

Containing Illustrations.

Imprint

A term that can refer either to the place of publication or to the publisher.

Inscribed

Usually indicates a book signed by the author, either with an inscription to a specific person or bearing some brief notation along with his signature.

Laid Paper

A handmade paper showing parallel lines of the papermaking frame, visible when help up to the light.

Leaf

A single sheet in a book; each leaf contains two printed pages, one on each side.

Limited Edition

Any book whose publication is deliberately restricted to a comparatively small number of copies, usually numbered and often signed by the author and/or illustrator.

Limp

An adjective describing a flexible binding in suede or imitation leather such as that used on the early titles of the Modern Library.

Made-up Copy

A copy of a book whose parts have been assembled from one or more defective copies.

Marbled

Paper decorated with an imitation marble pattern.

Monograph

A work, generally short, dealing with a single subject and usually issued in pamphlet form.

Morocco

A type of leather made from goatskins, especially suitable for book bindings because of its durability and beauty.

ms, mss

Manuscript.

nd

See No Date.

nf

Near Fine condition. See condition - Fine.

No Date

No date of publication mentioned within the book.

No Place

No Place (of publication).

np

See No Place.

Number

An issue of a periodical.

Obverse

The right-hand page of a book, more commonly called the recto.

Octavo (8vo)

A book of about 5 inches wide and 8 inches tall to about 6 x 9 inches. Octavo is the most common size for current hardcover books. To make octavo books, each sheet of paper is folded to make eight leaves (sixteen pages).

op

Out of Print.

orig

Original. As in original binding.

Out of Print

A book no longer being printed.

pb

Paperback.

Paper Boards

Stiff cardboard covered in paper.

Parts

The practice of publishing novels in separate monthly instalments in magazine format.

Paste-Down

The portion of the end-paper pasted to the inner cover of a book.

Perfect binding

Used in paperback books, trade paperbacks and magazines that have too many pages to be stapled. The page edges are glued together, then placed in the covers. This is a less expensive process than traditional book binding and stapling.

Pictorial

Describes a book with a picture on the cover.

pl, pls

See Plates.

Plates

Whole-page illustrations printed separately from the text. Illustrations printed in the text pages are called cuts.

Preface

Author’s introductory statement.

Presentation Copy

A copy of a book actually given by the author to someone of his acquaintance, usually with an inscription of some sort testifying to this disposition.

Price clipped

The price has been clipped from the corner of the dust jacket.

Printed Cover

Used to describe a dust wrapper or paper cover that is only lettered.

Private Press

A small press, often operated by one person, usually devoted to the production of small quantities of finely printed books.

Privately Printed

This term refers to a book or pamphlet whose printing was paid for by an individual or a group, and which is meant for private circulation, not public sale.

Proofs

Precede the published book. The normal course of events would be galley proof, uncorrected bound proof and advance reading copy bound in paperwraps.

pub

Publisher or published.

Publication Date

The data a book is formally placed on sale.

Quarter Leather

A book with a leather spine. Also see Half Leather.

Quarto (4to)

A book between octavo and folio in size; approximately 11 to 13 inches tall. To make a quarto, a sheet of paper is folded twice, forming four leaves (eight pages).

Reading Copy

A copy of a book that is worn or used to such a degree that it is not in good enough condition to be considered collectible.

Re-backed

A book that has been repaired by getting a new spine and mended hinges.

Re-cased

A book that has been glued back into its covers after having been shaken loose.

Recto

The front side of a leaf in a bound book; in other words, the right-hand page of an opened book. Also called the obverse.

Rejointed

Means the book has been repaired preserving the original covers, including the spine.

rem

See Remainder

Remainder

When a book has ceased to sell, a publisher may get rid of his overstock by “remaindering” the title.

Remainder Marks

The publisher will mark the bottom edges of books sold as remainders with a stamp, a black marker, or spray paint, which speckles the bottom.

Reverse

The rear side of a leaf in a bound book; in other words, the left-hand page of an opened book. Also called the verso.

rfep

The end paper that is not attached to the inside rear cover. See End Papers.

rm

See Remainder Marks.

ser

See Series.

Series

A group of volumes with a common theme issued in succession by a single publisher.

Sextodecimo (16mo)

A small book, approximately 4 inches wide and 6 inches tall. To make it, each sheet of paper is folded four times, forming sixteen leaves (32 pages).

Shaken

An adjective describing a book whose pages are beginning to come loose from the binding.

Signature

In bookmaking, this does not mean the author's name written out in his hand. It refers rather to the group of pages produced by folding a single printed sheet, ready for sewing or gluing into a book.

16mo

See sextodecimo.

Sizes

See Book Sizes

Slipcase

A cardboard case covered in paper, cloth or leather which holds a book with only the spine exposed.

Spine

The book’s backbone, where the signatures are gathered. The spine is covered with the backstrip.

Stub

A narrow strip of paper usually remaining where a leaf has been cut away.

Sunned

Faded from exposure to light or direct sunlight.

teg

See Top Edge Gilt or Gilt Edges.

Thousands

Some publishers in the nineteenth century added a notice on the title page stating, for instance "Eighth Thousand" to indicate a later printing. These are not first editions.

Three-decker

A book in three volumes, almost exclusively used to describe Victorian novels of the late nineteenth century.

Tipped-in

Means the plate, autograph, letter, photo, etc., is actually attached to the book.

Title Page

The title page, near the beginning of the book, lists the title and subtitle of the book the authors, editors, and/or contributors, the publisher or printer, and sometimes the place and date of publication. The title page information should be used for cataloguing (not the half-title page or covers).

Title Page Index

Used in describing periodicals, to indicate that the title page and index are present; without a title page and index, the volume is incomplete.

tls

See Typed Letter Signed.

Top Edge Gilt

Usually abbreviated teg, it means that the top edges of the pages have been covered with gold leaf or gilt material.

tp

See Title Page.

tpi

See Title Page Index.

Trade Edition

The regularly published edition. This term is used to differentiate it from a limited signed edition of the same book.

Trimmed

An adjective indicating that the pages have been cut down to a size smaller than when originally issued.

12mo

See Duodecimo.

Uncut

The pages of the completed book have not been shaved down to a uniform surface.

Unopened

The leaves of the book are still joined at the folds, not slit apart.

unpag

See Unpaginated.

Unpaginated

The pages are not numbered (although each signature may be designated by letter).

Variant

A book that differs in one or more features from others of the same impression, but a positive sequence has not been established.

Vellum

A thin sheet of specially prepared skin of calf, lamb, or kid used for writing or printing, or for the cover.

Verso

The second, or rear, side of a leaf in a book; in other words, the left-hand page of an opened book. Also called the reverse.

vol

The volume of the book.

VG

See Condition - Very Good.

Waterstained

Discoloration and perhaps actual shrinking of the leaves or binding.

wr, wrs

See Wrappers.

Wrap-around Band

The band of printed paper the length of the dust-wrapper of a book. Wrap-around bands contain favourable reviews and are put around some copies of books. Obviously fragile, that are of interest to collectors.

Wrappers

The outer covers of a paperbound book or pamphlet. Not to be confused with “dust wrapper”.

To Order :

On this site, you will not find "Shopping Baskets" and "Buy Me Now" boxes, whose purpose is to entice you to complete a purchase without any human intervention. We pride ourselves on our personal attention to detail. If you are at all unsure about any aspect of the books offered, please telephone, fax, write or e-mail me with your query which will be answered promptly and, I hope, knowledgeably.

I am unable, at present, to accept orders via the web. However an order can be sent either by letter, fax, e-mail or telephone. For any other queries or information please do not hesitate to contact me. To order now, please select the ORDER FORM.